By: Laurel Kimball
President
The Greenleaf Group, Inc.

The sculpture garden was a surprise.

I fly in and out of Des Moines, Iowa, frequently for family visits and am used to zipping my rental car right past the dreary downtown Des Moines that I remember, slowing down just enough to glimpse the gold domes of Iowa’s majestic State Capitol Building from the freeway.

On my most recent trip last March, I noticed signs and fliers everywhere announcing something new in downtown Des Moines: the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.  I love sculpture gardens, so, despite trepidations about its location, I decided to check this place out.

I was pleasantly shocked by what I found. Twenty-five sculptures created by internationally known artists such as Willem de Kooning, Louise Bourgeois, Richard Serra and Ellsworth Kelly are now located in the heart of downtown Des Moines at the four-acre Pappajohn Park—an open urban sculpture garden.

Click here to see the $40 million Pappajohn collection and learn more about the park. This world-class park and the beautiful State Capitol are now bookends two miles apart at either end of Des Moines’ East Village. The scary,dilapidated downtown of twenty years ago has been transformed into an inviting and thriving mixed-use urban area full of action day and night! As N.Y. Times author Adam Nagourney wrote, “I’m not sure … Des Moines has become a vacation destination. But it has most certainly become cool.”

How could this tremendous change happen so quickly in a city of less than 300,000?  It turns out there was a plan. For nearly 20 years, leaders from the City of Des Moines, State of Iowa, business, politics and the community have cooperated in carrying out the Vision Plan for downtown Des Moines which they drafted with architect and planner Mario Gandelsonas. As part of the Vision Plan, a city-state-business partnership cleared a several block area in downtown and built the Western Gateway Park.

One day John Pappajohn, an Iowa venture capitalist, drove by the new park and realized it would be the perfect spot for the sculpture he and his wife had been collecting for years. He called the Des Moines Art Center to suggest the idea, and, within two years, all the details had been worked out and the Mary and John Pappajohn Sculpture Park was created.

What can we learn from the Des Moines example? To me, it demonstrates the value of having a long-term regional plan and of cooperating to implement it. The plan’s success, in turn, encourages others to visualize new opportunities and to act generously. Then, unexpected, wonderful things happen.

This example aligns well with Valley Forward’s mission “to convene thoughtful public dialogue on regional issues and to promote cooperative efforts to improve the environment and livability of Valley communities.” I believe that one of Valley Forward’s most important roles is to make Valley residents aware of such possibilities as car-free travel onThe Valley’s Pedestrian Freeway or more canal amenities illustrated on Canalscape.

And I have my fingers crossed that one day soon some generous benefactors drive by Steele Park –or another Valley park – and have the idea that their sculpture collection would look great there!

By: Art Jordan, AIA LEED AP
Vice President Project Development,
Linthicum

A curious contradiction has existed for many years and seems to be growing within the suburban development/community property standards arena. The choice of “arena” as a description is apt since the whole play by play appears to be a game with lots of strategy being played out in the cities we work and live in within the Valley. To help establish the foreground for the discussion, let’s begin by warming up to the patchwork of connected issues by describing a “what if” or “could it be” scenario most of us can relate to.

Joe and Mary have a plan, go ahead, and call it a dream.  They work very hard, save their money and dream of owning a home with a yard in the suburbs.  It will be great, their own place where they can plant flowers in the Spring and invite their friends and family over for backyard barbeques.  Joe and Mary eventually realize their dream and set about making their house and yard, a home.  They relish their neighbor’s compliments on how nice their landscaping looks and the gleam of the freshly painted stucco walls.  It seems there is a sense of pride on the street and everyone is tugging on the same end of the rope. The neighbors enjoy the beauty they have created and live within.  Neighbors walk and bicycle thru the surrounding streets feeling good about their community.

Fred and Jane live on the next street over.   They have been there for a few years; nobody seems to see them much. They stick to themselves for the most part, all good. Over time it was noticed that things looked different at their house.  A driveway light fixture somehow got broken and was never fixed. The lawn wasn’t being watered and weeds begin to grow everywhere.  They didn’t appear to enjoy yard work; the bushes and trees never got pruned and basically looked overgrown.  It was odd that they didn’t repair their window shade awning when it became old and torn, it just hung limply against the front of their house.  I think you see the picture, their house was in disrepair and was unkept.

The curious contradiction is their house and their feelings.  Their house resides next to Joe and Mary’s house, maybe three doors down from your house, in all of our neighborhoods.  Joe and Mary’s dream is being colored by someone else’s personal property rights.

This issue has been intriquing to me for many years as I have practiced design architecture and served on community planning and design citizen boards attempting to add value to the suburban development process in the Valley.  I fully understand the concept of personal property rights but struggle with aspects of the broad discussion when they are studied in context with the community good.

I struggle most with the aspect of personal property ( in disrepair ) fronting on public streets and sidewalks that we as citizens have built, maintain, and use on a regular basis.  I want to take a step back and hash out a couple of boundaries for the discussion. I get it, everyone doesn’t see the same things I see and do not necessarily share my same aesthetics. My challenge is thinking a majority of the citizens desired a well kept, well designed cityscape that they could live, work, and recreate within.  Where did I get off the beaten path?

Almost all of the Valley Municipalities have design review standards and processes, all of them have planning and zoning standards, few of them have community personal property maintenance regulations, and fewer yet, enforce them to any degree of effectiveness.  To help establish one of the edges of the discussion, I focus on two successful development models.  First, Kierland Center in Scottsdale.  I could have chosen any one of several others, San Tan Village in Gilbert, Copper Square in Downtown Phoenix.  People gravitate to these locations to enjoy the well designed urban landscape.  They enjoy the sense of place with textural building materials, interesting hardscape and landscaping, and most importantly, the neatness and well kept maintenance.   It seems important that we build communities where these planning standards and maintenance standards are present more than they are absent.  The second successful development model is the Planned Residential Community.   Different than where your mom and dad grew up in Kansas where houses were built on public streets with sidewalks, the Valley has embraced the Planned Community.   It seems obvious why, they embrace higher planning standards and enforced property maintenance.  The communities of DC Ranch and Greyhawk in Scottsdale, and Las Sendas in Mesa jump out at me with their higher degree of property value retention and general sense of suburban beauty.

I think we and our elected community leaders should take a hard look at numerous contradictions I observe on a daily basis that are tugging on the wrong end of the rope.  Has anyone noticed recently on their way to the grocery store or the city library a proliferation of overgrown weeds, boats and cars parked along side neighbor’s houses in the side yards, plywood billboard signs advertising the local pawn shop in the public ROW, billowing  business fabric signs at the street curbs that are clearly in addition to their allowable signage, and my favorite: the inflatable billowing, undulating ribbon man swaying back and forth enticing me to turn in and make an impulse purchase at the local muffler shop.  Some convenience stores have so many signs plastered inside their glass windows, there is no glass left. I really wonder why Kierland Center hasn’t figured out that inflatable gorilla tethered on top of their crisp buildings won’t drive sales to new all time highs.  Just a few thoughts about our neighborhoods.

The above thoughts are from Art Jordan, AIA, a local architect, planner, builder, and neighbor. He previously served as Design Review Board Chair for several years in Mesa, Arizona.

By Michelle De Blasi
Partner
Quarles & Brady

As many people know, Valley Forward’s Environmental Excellence Awards (EEA) program is Arizona’s oldest and largest environmental competition, promoting the balance between economic growth and environmental quality. This year marks the 30^th Anniversary of the event and will be held on Saturday, October 2^nd at the Phoenician.

The program focuses on recognizing outstanding contributions to Valley Communities, through projects that enhance livable communities and support sustainable corporate practices that preserve our unique desert environment.  These projects are selected from 22 categories, including: buildings and structures, site  development and landscape, art in public places, environmental technologies, environmental education/communication, environmental stewardship and livable communities.

More than 700 of the who’s who in the business community attend this gala event to view all the exciting projects that have been nominated.  This year we’re expecting even more entries than last year, which had the highest level of entries ever.  The Call For Entries is out now, with a deadline of August 4 right around the corner.  As the Chair of the Call For Entries Committee, I encourage everyone to submit an application in at least one of the many categories.  http://www.valleyforward.org/2010%20PDFs/2010%20EEA%20Call%20for%20Entries.pdf

The EEA program is one of the only programs which allows us such a great opportunity to recognize the many businesses throughout the Valley that have contributed to making it a better place to live.  With award winners last year encompassing everything from the Metro Light Rail Project as the winner of the President’s Award, to the Tempe Transportation Center http://www.tempe.gov/greenprograms/transitcenter.htm and the ASU Campus Solarization project http://uabf.asu.edu/campus_solarization, to the Civic Space Park in downtown Phoenix – the EEA program has a category for everyone.

I’m looking forward to seeing all the innovative projects that are nominated this year.  You can’t win if you don’t enter, so please get your nomination forms in today!

By: Heidi Short
Director,
Fennemore Craig, P.C.

After years of planning, constructing and linking miles and miles of trails, many well known (and some lesser known) trails are near completion within Arizona. These trail systems offer unique hiking, equestrian, cycling or off-road vehicle experiences to visitors and residents of Arizona. Volunteers, like you, and organizations like Valley Forward are vital to completing the final links to these trials. Some of Arizona’s most significant trails include:

Regional: The Great Western Trail (Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana). This 4,455 mile trail is intended for use by motorized and non-motorized users.  Eventually this trail will connect Mexico with Canada via the United States route. The Arizona section of this trail consists of backcountry roads that run from Mexico to Utah. Several sections of the Arizona trail are still under consideration or construction. Maps and detailed information about this trail can be found at:  http://www.gwt.org.

State: The Arizona Trail. When complete, this trail will include 807 miles of trail for use by hikers, mountain bicyclists, trail runners, cross-country skiers and equestrians.  The trail runs from the southern border to the northern border of the state and requires only 35 miles of improvements to be complete.  Maps and detailed information about this trail can be found at:  http://www.aztrail.org.

County: The Maricopa Trail and the Valley’s Pedestrian Freeway. The Maricopa Trail is a 240 mile multi-use (non-motorized) trail that links open space projects and trail systems (including 9 regional parks) into one large loop around Maricopa County. This trail is supplemented by the Valley’s Pedestrian Freeway conceived by Valley Forward to provide for interconnectivity among trails and parks within Maricopa County. The network of existing trails within Maricopa County is extensive, but there’s still plenty of opportunity to help complete this network.  Maps and information about how to help complete this trail system can be found at:  http://www.valleyforward.org/issues/52/.

Local and Accessible: The Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area. There are several local trails throughout the Valley of the Sun, but one that might be overlooked is the five mile stretch of the Salt River located just south of downtown Phoenix.  Several paved trails easily accessed from ample parking lots are available throughout the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area. This accessible trail system offers unique bird watching and site seeing opportunities.  The Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area is another Valley Forward project that provides unique educational opportunities about varied habitats within the Valley.  Maps and information can be found at:  http://phoenix.gov/riosalado.

Valley Forward has been instrumental in designing, organizing, constructing and maintaining trail systems within Maricopa County. There are several volunteer opportunities to help complete and maintain the existing, extensive network of trails started and supported by Valley Forward. These volunteer efforts are local, convenient and rewarding. Find out more at http://www.valleyforward.org.  Get outside and enjoy Arizona!

By: Nikal Conti & Erik Peterson AIA
Peterson Architecture & Associates

Summer is here, and with it, Arizonians are once again reminded of our famous hot days and nights.  Can you imagine what it would be like if it was even hotter than our typical 110-degree days, say 120◦ or even 130◦!  NASA recently noted that 2009 was the second warmest year in global temperature in modern record and it marked the end of the warmest decade in the global climate.  We are all much more aware of our impact on the environment globally, regionally, and locally and recent events in the Gulf only serve to reinforce how important awareness and action is.   Fortunately, we have scientists, researchers, and technical experts who remain focused upon important issues that affect our children and us.  One such person is Architect Edward Mazria, a veteran of green design who founded Architecture 2030.

Mazria was a principal of a successful New Mexico architecture practice, and was well known in the profession for his focus on green design well before ‘green’ became a buzzword, writing the popular Passive Solar Energy Book in the late 70’s.  Mazria realized early on that architects play a very large role in reducing energy and material consumption through good design.  In studying Mazria’s design approach, we realize that now more than ever it is important to remain focused on using good design in the planning and design of our built environment.  Architecture 2030, and Mazria, noted that, “buildings are the major source of demand for energy and materials that produce by-product greenhouse gases (GHG). Slowing the growth rate of GHG emissions and then reversing it over the next ten years is the key to keeping global warming under one degree centigrade (°C) above today’s level.”

This is an important concept because the general perception is that industry and autos are the worst offenders, but after studying existing data the conclusion was that buildings are responsible for nearly half of America’s energy consumption and half its greenhouse gas emissions, produced by burning coal, gas, and other fossil fuels. (Cars do 1/6^th the damage).  The building sector has a responsibility to understand and respond to the issues, and as Architects, we feel a special obligation to design with these principles in mind.

The 2030 Challenge asks the global architecture and building community to adopt the following targets:

• All new buildings, developments and major renovations shall be designed to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance standard of 50% of the regional (or country) average for that building type.
• At a minimum, an equal amount of existing building area shall be renovated annually to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance standard of 50% of the regional (or country) average for that building type.
• The fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings and major renovations shall be increased to: 60% in 2010, 70% in 2015, 80% in 2020, 90% in 2025, and Carbon-neutral in 2030 (using no fossil fuel GHG emitting energy to operate).

These targets may be accomplished by implementing sustainable design strategies, generating on-site renewable power and/or purchasing (20% maximum) renewable energy and/or certified renewable energy credits.  Interestingly, this does not necessarily mean developing new methods and materials as shown over an eleven year period from 1973-1983 the US added 30 billion square feet of new buildings, 35 million new vehicles, increased GDP one trillion (in 2000 dollars), and decreased energy consumption and CO2 emissions.  We did it before, and we must do it again.

Two great case study examples here in Arizona are the Chino Valley Agribusiness & Science Center constructed in 2004 at the Chino Valley campus of Yavapai College, designed by DLR Group constructed by Shrader & Martinez Construction. And, the Bio Design Institute at ASU, Buildings A, B which received LEED Platinum and Gold, designed by Gould Evans/Lord Aeck & Sargent, constructed by DPR/Sundt.

The Chino Valley project used passive solar design, photovoltaic, solar hot water, wind technology, geothermal technology, and is a U.S. Green Building Council for Leadership in Environmental Engineering and Design (LEED) Silver project.  The Bio Design Institute reduced water use by 40%, diverted 50% of construction waste from landfill, used recycled and regional materials, and generates 10% of electricity using solar panels.

Nigel Howard, a British native who served as vice president for LEED and International Programs at the U.S. Green Building Council in Washington stated, “It’s not just the architect – it’s the architect, the client, the cost consultant, the engineer.  Everybody involved in every building project has to look through and environmental lens.”  We invite all fellow Arizonians in the public and private sector to join with the US Conference of Mayors, The American Institute of Architects (AIA), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the State of New Mexico, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Association of Collegiate Schools of  Architecture (ACSA), and many others in accepting the Architecture 2030 Challenge.

Nikal Conti
Erik Peterson AIA
Peterson Architecture & Associates

Links:

www.architecture2030.org

www.yc.edu/agribusiness.nsf/0/c35262b860b821ef07256b6c005aab94?OpenDocument

www.biodesign.asu.edu/facilities/building-design

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/temp-analysis-2009.html

http://www.metropolismag.com/html/content_1003/glo/index.html

www.aia.org/about/initiatives/AIAB079458?dvid=&recspec=AIAB079458

www.peterson-architecture.com